


Begin, anew.

by Confetti94



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Aromantic Characters, Asexual Characters, Canon-Typical Violence, i am in warrior cats hell, i love my cats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-18 12:01:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7314433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Confetti94/pseuds/Confetti94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gecko was very young when he learned that the clan cats were cruel.</p><p>It wasn’t the cats themselves that were cruel. The rumors of the cats sharpening their claws on bones and killing for fun were blatantly false, despite popular belief. No, there was an entirely other reason why they were cruel. It was their mindset.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Begin, anew.

Gecko was very young when he learned that the clan cats were cruel.

It wasn’t the cats themselves that were cruel. The rumors of the cats sharpening their claws on bones and killing for fun were blatantly false, despite popular belief. No, there was an entirely other reason why they were cruel. It was their mindset.

“Please, I need help,” he pleaded for likely the hundredth time, pacing back and forth on aching paws. “My friend is sick. I need you to help him, _please_!”

“Why should we help you?” A large tabby jeered, pulling back his lip to bare yellow teeth. “Rogues can’t be trusted. You aren’t a clan cat; fend for yourself, outcast!”

Yeah. The belief that they were superior because of their extensive blood line was starting to piss him off. So what if they had ancestors who were giant, hulking beasts? So did he! (At least, he assumed he did.)

All cats were born equal, and yet here he was, being threatened because he was a rogue when all he was asking for was a single herb of some kind. Anything to help his friend. He was getting worse every day.

“Please,” he whispered, lowering his head and ears in the most humble way possible. This was embarrassing. “I don’t know much about herbs, but I heard that you have someone called a medicine ca -“

“You trespass on our territory, barge into our camp, and start making demands?” A burly black cat lumbers towards Gecko, causing the other clan cats who had gathered to make a path. He had a look on his face that meant 100% business and fire in his eyes. “If we weren’t so considering, we would’ve torn you to pieces and thrown you outside the boundaries. Get out of here before we change our minds.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude, but my friend -“

“You have five seconds to get out of my sight before I claw your ears off.”

Gecko was very young when he learned that clan cats didn’t make empty threats.

\---

Gecko was a little bit older when he came back to the camp, torn ears flattened against his head.

“Sorry to bother you,” he said, nervously flicking his tail as cats peered out of their dens to stare at him. “I know this is abrupt, but… I’ve come to make a proposition.”

“What in Starclan’s name is it _this_ time,” the black cat from last time growled, stalking towards him from the thicket. Gecko danced on his paws, clearly not well prepared for the idea he had in mind. He heard mutters from the cats around him, casting him glares and suspicious looks like he was an enemy from another clan.

He was alone and they still saw him as a threat. What, was he the star of some ancient omen from their “Starclan” about how he’d destroy the clan or something? Good god.

“I know you don’t want me here, and you don’t want to hear me talk, but please hear me out. My friend is still sick. He has been since I last came here and he’s only getting worse, and I don’t know what to do. You’re my last resort,” he spoke, words tumbling out of his mouth rapidly. He heard some cat mumble about how he looked like he hadn’t cleaned his pelt in several moons. He had no idea what “several moons” meant. It was some weird clan cat lingo he still didn’t quite understand.

“Do you have a death wish? Do you not remember how I said I’d kill you if you returned here?” The black cat seemed to half an awfully large mouth, just like his body. He seemed to have a lot of authority here.

“I remember, quite vividly.” Having ripped ears was an exciting experience.

(It wasn’t, actually.)

“So you _do_ want to die? Well, I guess I can’t stop you then.” Gecko didn’t even have time to react as the vicious male shot towards him, paws outstretched. He squeaked, not expecting the sudden attack, and scrambled out of his line of attack; the black cat rolled and lashed out with a paw, hooking his leg with a claw. Gecko yelped as he was tripped into the dirt, gasping as the air was knocked out of his lungs.

In mere seconds, the cat was on top of him, claws digging into his shoulders. He wriggled, casting up billows of sand. It _hurts hurts hurts_ and he didn’t come here to die, wasn’t planning on dying, but _at this rate-_

“Vulturecry, that’s enough.”

The black cat - Vulturecry - swiveled his head towards the new voice, head bowing as he saw who it was.

“Excuse me for arguing, Wildstar, but I wasn’t going to actually kill him. I feel that this course of action is the best way to go about-“

“I said that’s enough, warrior. Stand down. He clearly isn’t a threat in any way, shape or form.” Wildstar was huge, even larger than Vulturecry. She had windswept, messy fur, split into two colors on her face and across her back. She had a mane of white fur under her chest, like she’d stepped into a deep bank of snow. “If you were listening, he mentioned he had a proposition. I intend to listen. If you would, please refrain from torturing our guest.”

Vulturecry looked embarrassed. He hastily stepped back from Gecko, tail between his legs, and moved towards the edge of the crowd. Wildstar paced forwards, eyes never leaving Gecko’s.

“Please, continue your earlier conversation.”

Gecko may have stared dumbly at her for a few seconds. Then he registered what she asked of him, and began his soliloquy.

“I know you wouldn’t enjoy a rogue just becoming one of your members. I also understand that you don’t appreciate me asking for supplies, especially herbs, without anything in exchange. That’s why…that’s why I have a proposition.”

“And?” Wildstar encouraged him, firm yet not unkind.

“I would…like to ask, if I could work for your clan, part time, in exchange for herbs for my friend.”

Gecko was a little bit older when he felt a spark of hope after meeting Wildstar’s eyes and hearing her say, “As long as you pull your weight.”

**Author's Note:**

> hi hi hi please tell me if you think i could change anything or just have feedback of any kind thank you!!


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